Critics Scoff at Claims of Chinese Mining Company

After forced in court to produce about 300 resumes submitted by “unqualified” Canadian job applicants, critics are scoffing at the company's claim.

By Michael Smyth

The Chinese company that wants to set up an underground coal mine near Tumbler Ridge said it tried — and failed — to find qualified Canadians to work in the mine.

But after the company was forced in court to produce about 300 resumes submitted by “unqualified” Canadian job applicants, critics are scoffing at the claim.

“There were obviously qualified Canadians who applied for these jobs, and they were simply rejected,” Brian Cochrane, of the Union of Operating Engineers, told me Saturday.

“Qualified Canadians are being denied jobs developing Canada’s own resources,” he said.

“It’s outrageous.”

HD Mining International received approval from the federal government to bring hundreds of Chinese coal miners to B.C., after Ottawa accepted the company’s argument that no Canadians could do the work.

The Operating Engineers and another union, the Construction and Specialized Workers, challenged the company and the government in court.

Last month, the company turned over to the unions hundreds of resumes from rejected Canadian job applicants.

Now, in a document filed last week in federal court, the public is getting its first glimpse at the qualifications of Canadians who applied for jobs with the Chinese company.

“There were trained and certified underground miners who applied for these jobs,” said Cochrane.